Interview Tips: Getting The Right Message Across

All the best interviews are a two way process with both sides playing an equal part in shaping the flow and pattern of the conversation.

I would suggest that if you come out of an interview and the person on the other side of the table has done the majority of the talking then you have probably not done as well as you would have wanted.

Interviews can generally last for anything between 20-60 minutes. In the grand scheme of things this is actually a very small window of time to deliver the right message to any potential employer so you have to make sure that you get it across as well as possible.

Interview technique, like any skill in the business world, comes from plenty of practice, but as I always maintain, the preparation you do before the interview is as important as anything that happens during it.

Make sure you have done as much research as possible because the worst thing that can happen to you is not being able to answer a question because you didn’t have the necessary information. I’m not talking about the questions they’ll ask about you and your skills - but the questions they’ll ask to test your knowledge of the business and industry.

If you are applying to a company for a financial role for example, one of the first things you would be expected to do is look at their latest set of accounts. You don’t need to know every minute detail but the basics, such as their revenue and profits, are a must. In this day and age, with the vast amount of data available to us, there is no excuse for being under prepared.

You are also likely to be asked about the latest news or trends within your industry so make sure you know these. By giving good, informative answers, not only are you showing off your knowledge – but more importantly, you are displaying your passion for what you do. Employers don't want to hire people who just want a job, they want people who enjoy what they do and are passionate about it.

Another important element of performing well in an interview is learning how to listen and respond to the questions that are being asked. I would always recommend that you try and think about the direction the conversation is taking and get clues as to what the interviewer is looking for. Look for the signals being given off because what they will be doing in effect is giving you prompts.

For example, is the interviewer paying particular attention to the project management aspects of a role? In that case, keep emphasising your prior experience at managing projects and meeting deadlines.

Finally, the most important thing is to remember not to try and dominate the conversation. As I said right at the start, an interview needs to be two sided. Just because you are the one who is doing all the talking, it doesn’t mean you have completed a good interview. In fact, what it might mean is that you haven’t listened well enough.